What Is A Kick Change And Why Does It Work?

(Written in March 2025)

Clay Holmes in his transition to starter has become one of the many MLB pitchers to begin

throwing what's known as a kick change.

Why does it work?

A kick change is not a new pitch; it's simply become more recognizable, allowing us to better

quantify what it is, why it works, and how to teach it to athletes in a practical way. This pitch is

particularly effective for supinators who struggle to pronate on a traditional changeup. It tends to

move more vertically as opposed to horizontally, and ideally 8-10 mph off of the fastball.

How does it work?

Essentially, it’s a two-seam circle change grip, held inside the seams, with pressure applied by

the ring finger and some variation of a spiked middle finger to suit the player’s comfort. Upon

release, it should spin from a 3:00 direction for righties (or 9:00 for lefties), with the middle

finger being the last finger to touch the ball. We’ve begun to try it out with some of our heavy

supinating pitchers here at Stevens, who previously were not comfortable with a changeup, and

have seen great results so far. The key cue that has resonated the most is ensuring the middle

finger is on top of the ball at release, which allows it to naturally “kick” downward generating as

close to 0” IVB as possible.

It seems to work best with players who throw from a 3⁄4 arm slot and have a release height

anywhere between 5'3" and 5'8". Players with higher release points tend to favor a splitter, while

those with lower release points lean toward a traditional changeup with more horizontal

movement. It’s not for every pitcher, but it provides certain players with another weapon in their

arsenal to attack opposite-handed hitters.